Something on my mind
by MonkeyLi
Summary: Story is based on a Comic panel where it shows that both Elvira and Magica keep the same picture of a celebration party for Magica (is told so in the story): dia.g


From time to time even Scrooge McDuck took a break from his daily work. Most of the time his refuge was Elvira's farm.  
So today the old drake had come to the farm to relax a little and enjoy the good food of Elvira. Furthermore he was concerned about something he could not talk to anyone about and maybe he would find help in his old friend.

Satisfied, he sat in her cozy kitchen, already enjoyed the second piece of cake and browsed through the family photo album he had discovered on the shelf.

Elvira was used to her family visiting her whenever they wanted to escape the stress of the city. But it seemed to her that Scrooge had more on his mind than he wanted to admit. With a good-natured smile she watched as he looked at the album but had been staring at the same photo for half an hour without realizing it. She stepped behind him to look over his shoulder.  
Scrooge's whole attention was devoted to a photo of the small private victory celebration they had held in honor of Magica's help against the Beagle Boys. Elvira smiled. She was an old and wise woman and knew how to empathize with other people.

"She's really beautiful when she smiles, isn't she?"

Scrooge jerked in surprise, he had been completely lost in thought and had not noticed Elvira until she spoke.  
Immediately his cheeks turned red. "The witch? I think you need new glasses." Quickly he turned the page and shoved a piece of cake into his mouth.

Sighing, Elvira sat next to him at the table. "It's very rude not to be honest with me." She gave him a blameful look. But when she noticed how embarrassed he was, she gently laid her hand on his. "Scrooge... you know you can talk to me about anything. We may not be blood relatives, but we are a family and I feel that you have something on your mind."  
Scrooge pushed the plate away, he had lost his appetite. He leaned on the table with his elbows and buried his face embarrassed in his hands.

"She's always beautiful..." He finally mumbled indistinctly.

With a sad look he turned the page of the album over again and continued to look at the photo. He himself was also on it. Highly pleased he held his regained dime in his hand while Magica stood next to him and smiled happily into the camera. Both leaned towards each other slightly.  
Lost in thought, he stroked her countenance with his finger.

"Elvira, I fear I..." He fell silent again. Was afraid of these words in his head. Afraid of what was slumbering in his heart.

Elvira waited patiently. Scrooge certainly hadn't come all the way here to wuss out. But she decided to approach him. She knew how hard it was for the proud man to talk about feelings. She took the album from him and now looked at the photo herself.

Although Magica was a witch and usually Scrooge's rival, it was a nice memory. Without hesitation she had taken Scrooge's side as the Beagle Boys tried to blackmail him with his dime. She hid her action behind a façade of pride, which did not allow others to attain what she desired but...

"She looks happy, don't you think? That's not just a smile for the camera. It seems to shine deeply from her innermost. Just like you, by the way". She added laughing.

Then she looked him firmly in the eyes. "Do you know why you look so happy? Of course because you have your dime back. But would you also look like that if you had managed that on your own? Would there even have been a celebration and this photo?"  
He looked at her helplessly with big eyes. Even though she made it clear that she knew what was going on in him it was so difficult for him to talk about it. He felt like a silly teenager. Feelings never got easier, no matter how old you were.

Elvira put an arm around his shoulder and smiled friendly at him. Made him understand that nothing he said or felt was wrong.  
He swallowed hard. "She has been getting on my nerves for years. She is a witch. She wants nothing from me except my dime..." He took a break and leaned back in his chair, sighing.  
"But I..." Again he faltered, just couldn't get it over him. After he sat there for a while and stared desperately at the ceiling Elvira decided that he had suffered enough.

"You fell in love with her, didn't you?"

Admittedly, Scrooge nodded slightly. „Aye…" Relieved that she lifted this heavy burden from him.  
"Have I lost my mind?"

Elvira smiled kindly. "Strange that you only ask yourself this now. I've been wondering about that ever since you first showed up at my farm and claimed you wanted to make "Killmotor Hill" your home."

Scrooge joined her laughing, it was good to talk to her. But finally Elvira became more serious again. "I find it all too understandable that you feel attracted to her. You two are similar, she has all the character traits you like about someone. Like ambition and stamina, a fiery temperament. But the most important thing is that you can rely on her word. She has a sense of honour and pride, which she proved again when she helped you."

She pointed her head at the photo. "And I don't think it was the first time she was on your side either, was it not?" Scrooge just nodded to it.  
"But still, what should I do? I think she appreciates our encounters, but in the end she only wants my number one. I don't have the slightest chance that it could ever be more..." And how much he was yearning for more. The longing for her did not let him sleep for nights. Made sure that he threw himself into work until he almost collapsed.

Sometimes he even thought about giving her the coin. If he never saw her again, he might be able to forget her. But the thought of a life without Magica tied his chest together painfully.  
Compassionately, Elvira looked at him. "I fear the answer to this question can only be given to you by one person in the world." Scrooge just laughed dryly. "I can't even say those words to you, so how can I tell her? Although I'm really tired of pretending. I wish I had the courage to stand up to my feelings no matter what the result may be…"

He sadly left his head hanging. But Elvira was not discouraged so quickly. "Try to say these words out loud at least once, maybe it will help you to process your feelings and one day be brave enough to speak to her."

Scrooge closed his eyes for a moment. Then he looked at the photo of her again. "I..." He took a deep breath. Why was it so hard for him? Apart from Elvira, nobody was here. But maybe she was right and it would help him. For a moment he sank into looking at the photo. He knew her face in and out. Her wide smile made his heart beat faster. Tenderly he stroked his finger over the photo.

"I love you, Magica..." He finally confessed.

Suddenly he heard a clattering noise behind him. Alarmed, he and Elvira turned to the source of the sound.  
Scrooge became pale. At the window stood no other than Magica. Her flying broom, which she had probably just held in her hand, adorned the floor. With her eyes wide open, she stared at him.

She herself was also pale around the nose. But suddenly her expression changed and tears shot into her eyes.  
"You scumbag!" She obviously had trouble speaking because she tried to suppress a sob. "I know we're enemies, but that doesn't give you the right to make fun of me like that! I hate you" She jumped out of the window again and ran away. She had completely forgotten her broom in her anger.

Perplex Scrooge stared after her before slowly turning his head towards Elvira. "What... what just happened?"  
Elvira shook her head regretfully. "I don't know."

But suddenly Scrooge slammed his hands on the table which trembled dangerously and jumped up from the chair. "Never mind! Whatever's going on inside her, I can't see her crying." With these words he sprinted out of the door after Magica.

Elvira stayed behind in the kitchen and smiled contentedly. Hopefully the two stormheads would finally talk openly to each other.

Without her broom and agitated as she was, Magica hadn't got far. She stood on the shore of a small lake very close to the farm. If she was honest, she deliberately stood so that she was easy to find. If "someone" took the trouble to follow her... but she didn't have much hope.  
All the more she was startled when she heard grass rustling behind her and the unmistakable sound of approaching steps.  
She didn't have to turn around to know it was Scrooge, she could feel his presence as a result of her witchcraft. At least she told herself it was because of it. Even though he was the only one where it worked.

Slowly Scrooge walked towards her. He was nervous, didn't know what was going on inside her or what to say. Embarrassed, he stopped right next to her and looked out at the lake. She said nothing but at least she didn't run away.  
After an endless while Scrooge began to speak.

"Magica... I don't understand what has upset you so much. Why you think I mock you, why you say... that you hate me..." He swallowed hard. His heart contracted painfully as he thought of her words. Courageously he turned his head towards her.

She looked at him with insecure eyes. She was so beautiful that his breath ceased.  
"If it should be that my feelings are unpleasant for you, then I understand that of course. I never expected that you..." He had to take a deep breath before he could continue speaking. It hurt so much. "...That you feel something for me..."

Carefully he reached out his hand to her and drove his fingers lightly through her silky hair. Hoping that she would grant him this little gesture. "I'm sorry to bother you with that, but I just can't change it anymore." Shyly he pulled his hand away again and looked gently into her eyes instead.

"I love you." His smile seemed helpless and lost.

"Even if that means you're gonna turn away from me. I have tried for a long time to ignore and suppress these feelings. But I don't want to anymore."

After these words he had no choice but to wait for her reaction. Whatever it would be. At least then he knew where he stood.  
Magicas eyes had widened at his speech and a glint of red lay on her cheeks. It was hard for her to trust his words. Why should he love her after all she had done to him? This could only be a very cruel act of revenge.

Besides, even though she always tried to ignore it, she knew there was someone else in his life. That he had lost his heart a long time ago in Klondike...  
"Why are you doing this?"

At first her voice was only a whisper, but then it became louder as the despair and pain took possession of her. "Do you think I am stupid? Do you think I don't know that everything is a lie? How can you stand there so cold and claim that you love me when I know that the one you love has golden hair and blue eyes? That even to this day you still keep a curl of her hair like a treasure!"

She sobbed out loud and buried her face in her hands. She felt so humiliated and pathetic.  
"Please stop it. I know I've caused you a lot of trouble. But I have always sincerely opposed and fought you. Shoot me, let me lock up. I deserve that for my deeds. But please stop pretending."

In the meantime she shed bitter tears. How low had she sunk to beg Scrooge McDuck? She didn't know how he had found out about her feelings. Actually, she had wanted to take this secret with her to her grave. But still she would never have believed that he would be so cruel to use her feelings against herself.  
Her picture of him being an honorable man broke into a thousand pieces.

But the worst part was, that she loved him despite it all. She couldn't really blame him for his actions. In his eyes she was only a witch. Someone who wanted to rob him of his most precious possessions. Of course he would take his revenge as soon as the opportunity presented itself.  
What would he have done if she had fallen for it and confessed her love to him? Horrid images of her happily falling around his neck came to her mind only to be pushed away with a cruel and mocking laugh.

She didn't dare look him in the face anymore. She knew that in the meantime it had to look like a gloating grimace which looked at her with a loathsome expression.  
So she just stood there hoping it would soon be over.  
But suddenly she felt a gentle grip around her wrists and she let him remove her hands in front of her face.  
Why did she do this to herself?

But when she looked up fearfully she saw nothing but warmth and affection in his eyes that were rarely shared with her.

"Magica..." He began with a soft voice. "I can't deny that Goldie once meant a lot to me, maybe I even loved her." Magica sobbed again at these words and he pulled her tenderly into his arms. She did not resist. At least for this short moment she wanted to enjoy the illusion of his feelings.  
"But that was long before I knew you. Had it been otherwise, if you had been a part of my life even then, I would probably never have stopped loving you. But its hard to tell, I lacked the necessary maturity and willingness to sacrifice to love another person. Still, it's what I feel now."

Unbelieving she listened to him.

„The hair curl is like all the other souvenirs just a memento of my adventures back then. It symbolizes a part of my life but not the person I love". He released the embrace to take her face in both hands and look deep into her eyes.  
"Just the fact that I speak openly about my feelings shows that I have become more mature. In the past I would have simply given up. But you mean everything to me, Magica. Whatever you may feel for me, I at least want you to understand that I am sincere."

A tiny flicker of hope spread through Magica's heart.  
He smiled so softly at her. His eyes shone warm and were constantly directed at hers so that she could read inside them unhindered. She wanted to believe him even if her mind protested vehemently against it.

Scrooge's heart was beating like mad waiting for a reaction. If she didn't feel anything for him, she wouldn't have acted so hurt, would she? Or was all this just a trick from her? But even if, he never expected his feelings to ever be returned, he had nothing to lose.

She timidly put a hand on his chest. She could feel his heart beating fast under her fingers. She had to take a risk.

"If you're really earnest, then kiss me." She finally demanded.

Scrooge's cheeks immediately turned red. But he didn't hesitate for long. Covetous he pulled Magica into his arms and caught her lips in a deep kiss. A hand wandered up into her silky hair and pressed her head even closer to him as if he never wanted to let her go again.

Magica was surprised by the overwhelming passion he showed. She wouldn't have believed him capable of that. Her eyes, which she had opened in surprise, closed slowly. Even if this kiss was only part of his plan. The feeling of his lips on hers could never be taken away from her again.  
Greedily she returned the kiss which was more than she had ever hoped for.

Again and again he kissed her, deepened the touch. When he briefly detached himself from her to take a breath, he tenderly whispered her name. "Magica... I love you, Magica..." He repeated time and again.

Slowly, her mind gave up resisting. Her heart, which wanted to believe in his feelings, screamed louder and louder. He was so infinitely tender, despite his passion she felt above all affection in his touch.

Tears stood in her eyes as he detached himself from her after an endless while. Her heart beat so fast that she was dizzy. Lovingly he stroked a few strands of hair from her face and smiled at her. His other hand lay slightly around her hip.  
He didn't hold her tight but just wanted to give her the feeling of being with her. So that she finally understood and believed him.

"Why are you crying, love? Are you still unable to believe me?"

Insecure, she lowered her head. Ever since she knew him she had been sure that he would never see anything but a witch and an enemy in her and she would not have condemned him for a second. But that tender look, that kiss.

"I... I want to believe you..." She whispered.  
Suddenly she lifted her head and her intense gaze braced itself deep into his eyes. But as much as she looked for it, she could see no lies, no betrayal in them.  
A deep sigh escaped her and she took a long breath before continuing. All the time Scrooge looked at her. Expectant but also afraid of her answer. She had to smile. The most powerful man in the world was afraid.

"I love you, Scrooge." She finally admitted calmly.

It seemed as if he could not understand her words at first. He stared at her with his mouth open. But then a beam crossed his face and happily laughing he lifted her onto his arms without any problems.  
Startled by his strength she quickly swung her arms around his neck to hold on. The joy he radiated was spread over and filled her heart with warmth.  
Lovingly she rubbed her beak against his and laughed quietly as he closed his eyes enjoying and sighed peacefully. He pressed her a little tighter against his chest, reluctant to ever let her go again.

Magica couldn't resist and gently stroked her fingers through the soft feathers of his sideburns, approaching his face and kissing him deeply and intimately.  
"I love you, Scrooge." She repeated, this time without hesitation and Scrooge returned her words before kissing her again.

Meanwhile Elvira was busy baking a new cake in the house. She had the certain feeling that there would be something to celebrate.  
The camera was already prepared.


End file.
